Vehicle with a vehicle roof that can be opened

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a motor vehicle, especially a limousine or a coupe, with a motor vehicle roof ( 4 ) with body-mounted lengthwise roof beams ( 5 ), with a roof opening ( 8 ) in the motor vehicle roof ( 4 ), with a movable cover ( 9 ) for selectively closing or at least partially clearing the roof opening ( 8 ), and with a rear window ( 11 ) which adjoins the motor vehicle roof ( 4 ), and a trunk lid ( 2 ), and the cover ( 9 ) and rear window ( 11 ) can be moved by guide means into the open position in which they are located on top of one another on the trunk lid ( 2 ).  
     The invention furthermore relates to a motor vehicle, especially a limousine or a coupe, with a motor vehicle roof with body-mounted lengthwise roof beams, with a roof opening in the motor vehicle roof, with a movable cover arrangement for selectively closing or at least partially clearing the roof opening and with a trunk which adjoins the vehicle interior,  
     and the roof opening extends essentially over the entire vehicle interior and can be closed by means of a cover arrangement which has at least two cover elements, and the cover elements being guided on lateral guides and when the roof opening is cleared being moved along the lengthwise roof beams into a rear storage space and being deposited therein in the packed position and especially in the essentially upright position.

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle with the features of thepreamble of claim 1 and a motor vehicle with the features of thepreamble of claim 23.

[0002] When driving in an open passenger car, such as for example aconvertible, in an accident with overturning of the vehicle there is ahigh risk of injury to the passengers. Therefore, in convertibles thereare fixed or retractable roll bars for passenger protection when theroof is opened. Limousines and coupes offer high safety in a rollover,but when an openable roof, for example a sliding roof, is installed,only a limited roof opening is possible which ordinarily cannot impartthe feeling of driving as when driving an open convertible.

[0003] EP 0 591 644 B1 describes a motor vehicle with a roof which has aroof opening which can be selectively closed or at least partiallyopened by means of the louvers of a louvered roof. To open the roofopening the louvers which are movably supported on bilateralroof-mounted guides are moved to the rear to under the fixed roof partwhich adjoins the roof opening to the rear. In the lowered position thelouvers can be stacked into a package of relatively low height or theyare located at a mutual vertical distance like blinds in front of therear window.

[0004] FR 2 718 485 discloses a sliding head liner for a closed,transparent motor vehicle roof. The sliding head liner containsindividual louvers which are movably supported on bilateral lengthwiseroof beams. When the sliding head liner is opened, the individuallouvers are pushed to the rear to under the transparent motor vehicleroof into a storage position in which they are located on top of oneanother as a package.

[0005] DE 196 34 507 C1 discloses a motor vehicle roof which can belowered into the rear of a passenger car. A movable roof arrangementwhich is provided selectively for closing or clearing a roof opening ismade especially as a louvered roof which when opened can be folded up inthe form of a package on the roof frame and can be lowered with themotor vehicle roof in the rear of the vehicle.

[0006] The object of the invention is to devise the initially namedmotor vehicle with a roof which can be opened over a large area andwhich still has a high stiffness as passenger protection in a vehiclerollover. Furthermore, the components which have been removed from theroof opening will be stored in a space-saving manner.

[0007] The object is achieved in the initially mentioned motor vehicleas claimed in the invention in that the cover and rear window can bemoved by guide means into the open position in which they are located ontop of one another on the trunk lid.

[0008] In this way a roof opening can be formed which extends as in aconvertible from the front window as far as the trunk lid over theentire passenger compartment, but compared to a convertible thelengthwise roof beams remaining in their body-mounted arrangement andthus making available improved passenger protection if the motor vehiclerolls over and comes to rest on the roof The lengthwise roof beams areattached via the rear roof columns, for example, the C columns, to thebody. Deposition of the trunk lid does not require any space in thevehicle interior or in the trunk.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in thedependent claims.

[0010] The object is also achieved in the initially mentioned motorvehicle as claimed in the invention in that the roof opening extendsessentially over the entire vehicle interior and can be closed by meansof a cover arrangement which has at least two cover elements and thatthe cover elements are guided on lateral guides and when the roofopening is cleared are moved along the lengthwise roof beams into a rearstorage space and deposited therein in the packed position andespecially in the essentially upright position. In this motor vehicle aroof opening can also be formed which, like in a convertible, extendsfrom the front window to the trunk lid over the entire passengercompartment, but compared to the convertible the lengthwise roof beamsremaining in their body-mounted arrangement and thus making availableimproved passenger protection if the vehicle rolls over and comes torest on the roof.

[0011] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in thedependent claims.

[0012] The rear storage space for the roof dividing elements ispreferably in the lowered position so that it is not raised or is notsignificantly raised over the equator line of the motor vehicle which isformed by the lower edge of the side windows and the trunk lid. Thus,visibility from the vehicle interior to the rear is not obstructed. Thestorage space is thus behind the rear seats roughly underneath the topedge of the rear seats in a four-seat or five-seat limousine or in onesuch coupe.

[0013] Embodiments of the respective motor vehicle are detailed belowwith reference to the drawings.

[0014]FIG. 1 shows in a perspective rear view one embodiment of a motorvehicle with a movable cover and a movable rear window in the closedposition;

[0015]FIG. 2 shows in a perspective rear view as shown in FIG. 1 themotor vehicle with the roof open and the rear window and the cover ontop of one another on the trunk lid;

[0016]FIG. 3 shows in views (a) to (e) in a lengthwise section in aschematic representation the motor vehicle in various positions of thecover and the rear window;

[0017]FIG. 4 shows in views (a) to (e) in a lengthwise section in aschematic representation the motor vehicle with another roof executionin various positions of the cover and the rear window;

[0018]FIG. 5 shows in a lengthwise section in a schematic representationthe motor vehicle with the cover and the rear window in the closedposition;

[0019]FIG. 6 shows in a perspective rear view a second embodiment of amotor vehicle with a roof with four movable cover elements in the closedposition;

[0020]FIG. 7 shows in a perspective rear view as shown in FIG. 6 themotor vehicle with a partially opened roof and two cover elementslowered into the storage space;

[0021]FIG. 8 shows in a perspective rear view as shown in FIG. 7 themotor vehicle with the roof opened and the four cover elements loweredin the storage space;

[0022]FIG. 9 shows in a lengthwise section in a schematic representationthe motor vehicle with the four closed cover elements;

[0023]FIG. 10 shows in a lengthwise section in a schematicrepresentation the motor vehicle with the roof opened and the fourlowered cover elements; and

[0024]FIG. 11 shows in a lengthwise section in a schematicrepresentation the motor vehicle with the roof closed and the storagespace.

[0025] A motor vehicle (see FIGS. 1 to 3), which in the embodiment is apassenger car like a coupe with a trunk 3 which can be closed by a trunklid 2, has a roof 4 with side lengthwise roof beams 5 which adjoin the Acolumns 6 forward and pass to the rear into the C columns 7. Between thelengthwise roof beams 5 extends the roof opening 8 which is selectivelyclosed (see FIG. 1) or at least partially cleared (FIG. 2) by a movablysupported cover 9, especially a glass cover. The roof opening 8 extendsto the rear between the lengthwise roof beams 5 and the C columns 7 asfar as the trunk 3 or the trunk lid 2 and in this area of a rear windowopening 10 which is selectively closed (see FIG. 1) or at leastpartially cleared (FIG. 2) by a movable rear window 11.

[0026] The cover 9 is movably supported via a guide means on thelengthwise roof rails 5 and, when opened, travels with its raised rearedge 12 over the rear window 11, the lateral rear sliding element of thecover 9 being guided either on a guide rail 13 on the lengthwise roofbeam 5 and on the C column 7 or on the guide rail 14 on the rear window11. The cover 9 can be positioned in the intermediate open positions inwhich it partially clears the roof opening 8, or it is moved completelyover the rear window 11.

[0027] To further open the roof opening 8 the rear window 11 which ismovably supported laterally via one front sliding element at a time onthe guide rial 13 on the lengthwise roof beam 5 and the C column 7 andvia a rear sliding element 15 (see FIG. 5) on a crank guide 16, togetherwith the cover 9 is pushed by a drive means to the rear onto the trunklid 2. Here, initially the rear sliding element 15 slides on anascending section of the crank guide 16 so that the rear edge 17 of therear window 11 and thus also the rear window 11 is lifted out of thewindow seal. Then the rear sliding element 15 or another guide means ofthe rear window 11 engages the guide means on the trunk lid 2. The guidemeans is for example a guide rail (not shown) which runs in thelengthwise direction, which is located in the surface of the trunk lid 2or lowered under it, and in which the guide means or the rear slidingelement 15 is movably held. The sliding element 15 has a bearing footdimensioned such that the rear window 11 is kept spaced away from thesurface of the trunk lid 2.

[0028] In one preferred embodiment the guide rail 18 is located on acarrier means 19 which is movably located in the trunk lid 2. In theclosed position (see FIG. 1) the carrier means 19 is lowered so that theguide rail 18 is located in the surface of the trunk lid 2 or is loweredunder it and is covered especially by a cover. The carrier means 19 isextended for example by a drive by means of an electric motor 20 (seeFIG. 5) in order to accommodate to hold the rear window 11 and supportit in the open position (see FIG. 2).

[0029] The carrier means 19 can alternatively also be located fixed inits position above the surface of the trunk lid 2.

[0030] The rear window 11 with the cover 9 resting on it is supported inthe open position both with the rear and also the front sliding elementcompletely on the guide rail 18 in the position such that the trunk lid2 can be opened in the conventional manner by swivelling up, dependingon the type of drive for example a drive cable leading from the trunklid 2 to the body.

[0031] In one alternative embodiment the front bearing or slidingelement of the rear window 11 remains in the open position of the rearwindow 11 on the guide rail 13 on the lengthwise roof beam 5 and the Ccolumn 7. The front bearing or sliding element contains a hinge whichenables swivelling of the rear window 11 relative to the guide rail 13when the trunk lid 2 is opened. The hinge is located in the openposition of the rear window 11 feasibly in the swivelling axis of thetrunk lid 2.

[0032] The drive control for the cover 9 and the rear window 11 can bedesigned such that the rear window 11 can be moved to the rear into theventilator position or partially open position, while the cover 9remains in its closed position which closes the roof opening. The rearwindow 11 can also be moved entirely into its open position onto thetrunk lid 2 when the cover 9 is closed.

[0033] To open the roof, in one alternative version the rear window 11can be swivelled around its rear edge 17 (see FIG. 4) by its front edge21 being slightly lowered. This position can also be set as theventilator position. Then the cover 9 is moved along the guide rail 13to the rear over the rear window 11 which has been lowered in thismanner and is moved together with the rear window 11 onto the trunk lid2.

[0034] Behind the seats 22 which border the trunk 3, in the vehicleshown the rear seats, there is a protection means 23 which with the roofopened and the roof opening clear, if necessary, for example in arollover of the motor vehicle, can be extended upward into theprotective position. The protection means 23 is made for example as aroll bar.

[0035] In the completely opened position of the motor vehicle roof (seeFIG. 3), thus a roof opening with a size similar to a convertible isformed, but the lengthwise roof beams 5 and the C columns 7 remaining intheir position and forming a rigid structure which in the case of arollover impart a high level of protection to the passengers.

[0036] A second embodiment of the motor vehicle 101 as claimed in theinvention (see FIGS. 6 to 11), which is likewise a passenger car like acoupe with a trunk 103 which can be closed by means of the trunk lid102, has a motor vehicle roof 104 with lateral lengthwise roof beams 105which adjoin the A columns 106 forward and pass to the rear into the Ccolumns 107. Between the lengthwise roof beams 105 extends the roofopening 108 which is selectively closed (see FIG. 6) or partially orentirely cleared (FIGS. 7 and 8) by a roof arrangement 109 consisting offor example four movably supported cover elements 110 to 113 which areespecially transparent covers or glass covers.

[0037] The first and second cover element 110 and 111 are coupled to oneanother and on their two narrow sides they are each movably supported onone guide rail 114 which extends along the lengthwise roof beam 105 andthe C column down into a storage space 115 for the cover elements. Thestorage space 115 is located in the area of the trunk 103 which bordersthe vehicle interior or the seat back 116, for example of the rear seatof a four-seat coupe, and contains a fixed front wall 117 which isadjacent to the seat back and a rear wall 118 which can be moved via amechanism; the rear wall can be moved out of a minimum position on thefront wall 117 in which the cover elements 110 to 113 in their closedposition as shown in FIG. 6 close the roof opening, if necessary intothe intermediate position or the maximum position into the trunk 103. Inthe intermediate position the size of the storage space 115 issufficient to accommodate the front two cover elements 111 and 112. Themaximum position of the rear wall 118 with the maximum storage space 115is set in order to accommodate the two rear cover elements 112 and 113which are movably supported according to the front cover elements 110and 111 on another guide rail 119 which likewise extends along thelengthwise roof beam 105 and the C column 107 down into the storagespace 115.

[0038] The two guide rails 114 and 119 are spaced apart from one anotheron the storage space 115 in the lengthwise direction of the motorvehicle so that the front cover elements 110 and 111, which are movedwhen opened as a coupled unit underneath the rear cover elements 112 and113 on the guide rail 114 into the storage space 115, are located on thefront wall 117. The front cover elements 110 and 111 are thus decoupledalong their two bordering edges and are located vertically or slightlytilted in a space-saving parallel arrangement. The two rear coverelements 112 and 113 can be moved independently of the front coverelements 110 and 111 to the rear into the storage space 115, theirbordering the extended rear wall 118.

[0039] According to different arrangements of the guide rails 114 and119 also other deposition positions can be accomplished. The coverelements which are located tilted or vertical in the storage space arehoused in a space-saving manner, protected against dirt, and do notobstruct vision to the rear.

[0040] The cover elements are pushed for example via electric drivemotors and cable pull connections. The mechanism of the rear wall 118 ofthe storage space 115 moves by sustained forcing, depending on themovements of the cover elements 110 to 113. With the roof closed thusthe entire trunk cargo space remains available.

[0041] In addition to the opening motion described here, the coverelements can hang chain-like on one another and can be movably guided ona path, to open the roof in an overall motion of all the cover elementscoupled to one another in the direction to the storage space first therear cover element being deposited in the storage space, its coupling tothe next forward element being cancelled to the required degree. Thenext forward cover element is then located in another overalldisplacement motion of all remaining cover elements next to the alreadydeposited cover element in the storage space. The remaining coverelements are accordingly deposited in the storage space in a stackedarrangement. The roof opens successively from front to back.Intermediate position can also be set.

[0042] A raisable wind deflector 120 can be mounted on the front edge ofthe roof opening, for example on an apron (See FIGS. 9 and 10)

1. Motor vehicle, especially a limousine or a coupe, with a motorvehicle roof (4) with body-mounted lengthwise roof beams (5), with aroof opening (8) in the motor vehicle roof (4), with a movable cover (9)for selectively closing or at least partially clearing the roof opening(8), and with a rear window (11) which adjoins the motor vehicle roof(4), and a trunk lid (2), characterized in that the cover (9) and rearwindow (11) can be moved by guide means into the open position in whichthey are located on top of one another on the trunk lid (2).
 2. Motorvehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear window (11) is locatedon the trunk lid (2) and the cover (9) is located on the rear window(11).
 3. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the rearwindow (11) has lateral guides for movably accommodating the bearingmeans of the cover (9).
 4. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 1to 3, wherein the rear window (11) and the cover (9) are located in theopen position on the trunk lid (2) such that the trunk lid (2) can befolded up.
 5. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, whereineach lengthwise roof beam (5) has a front guide rail (13) for movablysupporting the cover (9) and a rear guide rail (14) for movablysupporting the rear window (11).
 6. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5,wherein the rear guide rail (14) borders the guide located on the trunklid (2) for the rear window (11).
 7. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim6, wherein the bilateral guides for the rear window (11) are locatedconcealed on the trunk lid (2).
 8. Motor vehicle as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 7, wherein the trunk lid (2) contains a carrier means (19)for the rear window (11).
 9. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8,wherein the carrier means (19) is located stationary on the trunk lid(2) or can be extended out of the lowered position into the operatingposition.
 10. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the positionof the carrier means (19) in its operating position is adjustablerelative to the trunk lid (2), especially vertically adjustable. 11.Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the carrier means (19) hasguide rails for the rear window.
 12. Motor vehicle as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 11, wherein in the partial opening position the cover (9) islocated on the rear window (11) and wherein for complete opening of theroof the rear window (11) with the cover located thereon moves onto thetrunk lid (2).
 13. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12,wherein the cover (9) is raised at the beginning of its opening motionto over the rear window (11).
 14. Motor vehicle as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 12, wherein the rear window (11) on its front edge can belowered by swivelling around its rear edge.
 15. Motor vehicle as claimedin one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the cover (9) in its opening motion ismoved essentially along the guide rails over the rear window (11) whichhas been lowered on its front edge.
 16. Motor vehicle as claimed in oneof claims 1 to 15, wherein one drive means at a time is assigned to thecover (9) and the rear window (11).
 17. Motor vehicle as claimed in oneof claims 1 to 16, wherein on the rear edge of the rear window (11)there is a drive motor.
 18. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 17,wherein the drive motor of the rear window (11) is covered by the coverwhich has especially one brake light.
 19. Motor vehicle as claimed inone of claims 1 to 18, wherein the cover (9) consists of at least twosuccessive cover parts.
 20. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 1to 19, wherein the rear window (11) has a rear bearing means which istransferred to the guides of the trunk lid (2) when the rear window isopened.
 21. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 1 to 20, whereinthere is a retractable head protection means for the vehicle passengers,especially on the rear seats.
 22. Motor vehicle as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 21, wherein the rear window with the cover closed can beopened into a ventilation position and can be moved especially onto thetrunk lid.
 23. Motor vehicle, especially a limousine or a coupe, with amotor vehicle roof with body-mounted lengthwise roof beams, with a roofopening in the motor vehicle roof, with a movable cover arrangement forselectively closing or at least partially clearing the roof opening andwith a trunk which adjoins the vehicle interior, wherein the roofopening (108) extends essentially over the entire vehicle interior andcan be closed by means of a cover arrangement (109) which has at leasttwo cover elements (110 to 113) and wherein the cover elements (110 to113) are guided on lateral guides (114 and 119) and when the roofopening (108) is cleared are moved along the lengthwise roof beams (105)into a rear storage space (115) and are deposited therein in the packedposition and especially in the essentially upright position.
 24. Motorvehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the cover elements (110 to 113)are coupled to one another and can be moved in their entirety into thestorage space (115) and can be deposited therein.
 25. Motor vehicle asclaimed in claim 23, wherein the two cover elements or the front and therear group of cover elements (110 and 111 or 112 and 113) can be movedindependently of one another into the storage space (115) and can bedeposited therein.
 26. Motor vehicle as claimed in claim 25, wherein thelateral guides (114 and 119) of the cover elements have a guide means(114) for the front cover element or cover elements (110, 111) and aguide means (119) for the rear cover element or cover elements (112,113).
 27. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 23 to 26, whereinthe storage space (115) is located in the transition area between thevehicle interior and the trunk (103).
 28. Motor vehicle as claimed inone of claims 23 to 27, wherein the storage space (115) has atrunk-side, movably located boundary (118) which, when the storage space(115) is not being used, makes it smaller, and to enlarge the storagespace (115) can be moved into the trunk (103) for depositing the coverelements (110 to 113).
 29. Motor vehicle as claimed in one of claims 23to 28, wherein the cover arrangement (109) has four cover elements (111to 113).